


Poppin' Pills and Throwin' Punches

by Puakaba



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Dubious Consent, M/M, Mutual Pining, barfight, but not between klance, it's not bad tho, keith can't catch a break, minor shallura, or not i'm not even sure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 07:37:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8363452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puakaba/pseuds/Puakaba
Summary: Keith isn’t going to lie, he’s irritated. An obnoxiously girlish giggle reaches his ears. Keith grits his teeth as he hears it, knowing that what he sees will only get on his nerves, yet he can’t help but look.The one where Lance lets down his guard and Keith gets into a bar fight over a boy he doesn't have feelings for.





	

Keith isn’t going to lie, he’s irritated.

 

An obnoxiously girlish giggle reaches his ears. Keith grits his teeth as he hears it, knowing that what he sees will only get on his nerves, yet he can’t help but look. His eyes land on a couple across the pub, curled up into a secluded booth and sure enough, the sight pisses Keith off.

 

Keith is already familiar with the first figure. It’s Lance, with one arm hanging loosely off the back of the booth, the other curling its way around some alien girl’s shoulders. The second figure is said alien girl. Lance casually removes his arm from the booth and catches a purple lock of hair that hangs just past the girl’s cheekbone, twirling it in his fingers like it’s the most casual thing in the world. Lance’s victim for the night giggles once again, pressing her dainty hands into Lance’s chest and batting her long, equally purple eyelashes.

 

Keith looks her over, an odd feeling of resentment growing in his stomach. He knows he shouldn’t hate her, she’s done nothing to hurt him and unlike most of Lance’s victims, she seems genuinely enthusiastic- but he just can’t push down the lump that’s beginning to swell in his throat the longer he continues to watch their nauseating flirting.

 

He opts to chug whatever burning liquid is in his glass instead, hoping that stupid lump will disappear on its own. It doesn’t.

 

Keith finally tears his gaze away from the two of them when Lance decides to slide just a _little_ bit closer to the poor girl. He focuses on the other ‘people’ sitting around him at the bar. The joint they’re currently inhabiting is just a little shack on a lumpy moon in the middle of nowhere; probably the equivalent of a roadside diner. According to Allura, who had insisted they stop for repairs and a couple drinks, the place is a heavily frequented spot for travellers from all over, so there’s quite a bit of variety in species around Keith. Perhaps if he were in a better mood, Keith would take the time to appreciate the diversity; after all, he’s really just as excited to be in space as the other paladins, but that’s not the case.

 

Keith downs another drink and tries to focus on the light bouncing around the inside of the glass. Still, his eyes flicker over to that corner, as if they’re naturally drawn there. Keith considers just walking over there and saving himself the pain of whatever the hell is going on in his stomach. It would be easy, to just make up some excuse to get Lance to turn his attention to him and no one else. Instead, Keith calls the bartender over to ask for a refill.

 

Keith begins to focus in on the conversations going on around him. Right behind the bar is a group of what Keith can only assume to be the space equivalent of frat boys. They’re a bunch of buff aliens, all with some variation of tunic with the same insignia on it, lounging on the sketchy couches towards the back of the bar, each with a drink in hand.

 

Just like Earth frat boys, these aliens are much too loud for Keith’s liking and practically reeking of toxic masculinity, which is apparently a universal thing. Of course, the frat boys from back home don’t usually have horns, bright silver skin, or any extra set of eyes and/or arms. Keith decides that he should keep an eye on them. If he was right about their similarity to the boys he already knew from back home, they were probably up to no good, and it was sort of his job as ‘legendary defender of the universe’ to keep trouble away.  

 

These thoughts are abruptly interrupted as one of them bursts out laughing at something his buddy says and sloshes his drink all over the couch and himself as he lurches forward to plant a sloppy kiss on the other alien’s jaw.

 

Keith is actually surprised. Maybe he was wrong about the toxic masculinity thing. Or maybe there’s just a different way of interpreting what could be considered ‘masculine’ on other planets. Either way, he’s grown bored with that group and moves onto the alien a few stools over to his right.

 

The alien in question has a light green fringe that falls a little into his eyes. It decidedly complements their shade of skin, a lavender with dark indigo streaks that run along his arms and shoulders. For a split second, their eyes flicker over to Keith’s and they make momentary eye contact before both look away. Keith sneaks another glance.

 

 _They’re cute,_ Keith admits to himself. He considers making a move- after all, everyone else in this bar is having fun. Lance and the dudes behind him certainly are.

 

Keith freezes.

 

Something’s wrong and he instantly realizes what it is: the group of frat aliens behind him have suddenly gone quiet. Keith whips around to look at the couches, only to find them empty. Keith’s instincts are suddenly on fire as adrenaline courses through his body, and they’re screaming at him to just look at that corner booth. Keith refuses to do anything of the sort.

 

Keith forces himself to calm down and takes another drink. He’s been on edge all night, and they probably just left the bar. He deserves a night off and there’s really no need to be so irrationally worked up. Keith pushes the frat aliens and the corner booth away from his mind, instead focusing on the cute alien beside him.

  
Keith glances over and is it just him, or did Cute Alien Guy just move a few stools closer when he wasn’t looking. Taking a few deep breaths, Keith begins to work up the nerve to go over there. He’s aware that he’s actually pretty attractive. He knows from being told so many times. It sounds like bragging, but it’s not. Keith really isn’t so caught up with things like that, unlike _certain_ people that he knows. In fact, Keith doesn’t even take his looks into consideration until moments like these. He’s flirted with people in the past, and in those cases he would usually just coast on that “deep and brooding” to try and hide the fact that he has no idea what he’s doing.

 

This is a terrible pep talk and Keith knows it. Nonetheless, he’s nearly drunk enough to stand up from his stool and go talk to Cute Alien Guy.

 

Nearly.

 

Just as Keith is ready to get some, another giggle floats his way. It’s coming from the same direction as before, but it’s different this time. It’s lower and more throaty, but most importantly it’s far more familiar. At this realization, all of Keith’s dating prospects go flying out the window. The same sense dread from a few minutes ago hits him again, but this time with twice the intensity and Keith can’t stop himself from whipping around to look at that goddamn corner booth.

 

To his dismay, Lance is still there, but the alien girl is gone. In her stead are a few of the frat aliens that had been sitting behind Keith before, all of them seated around Lance in the cramped booth. One of them, the biggest one that Keith had seen, extends one of his four arms to brush back a wisp of Lance’s hair in a way that’s almost exactly identical to what Lance himself had done earlier. Another one of them chuckles as Lance blushes, and he presses his face into Lance’s neck, mouthing sensually at the flushed skin. Lance keens at this, wiggling away from him slightly but at the same time exposing more of his neck. The alien clearly takes it as an invitation to go further.  

 

Keith is beyond irritated now. He’s not even angry. Or is he? At this point, he can’t even tell. All he can make sense of is the feeling that what he’s seeing is _wrong_ in every sense of the word. If he felt sick before, watching Lance dork it up with some girl he’d just met, then Keith is now dying.

 

Is it because they’re guys, or at least more masculine, than Lance’s usual ‘suitors’? Keith had no idea that Lance was even into guys, but he doesn’t think it’s homophobia that’s bothering him. He figures it’s sort of impossible for a person as gay as he is to be that way. Still, he has no other way to describe the nausea that’s overtaken him as he continues to watch the revolting scene play out.

 

Despite that feeling, Keith continues to watch, unable to tear his eyes away.  That same alien continues to nip and suck at Lance’s neck, leaving a trail of dark bruises as he goes. Even from here, Keith can hear the whiny little gasps that are spilling from Lance’s mouth, which looks positively _indecent_ at this point. Bright red and slick with spit as his tongue darts out to swipe at something that sits at the corner of his lips. They’re in a public fucking place dammit, but still while thinking that- Keith, and every single douchebag that’s currently gathered around Lance, unintentionally leans a little closer to get a better look at the little flash of pink.

 

No. Keith stops himself. He’s better than this, and if Lance wants to flirt with aliens- regardless of how buff and douchey they might be, then he can flirt with fucking aliens. Who cares? Certainly not Keith.

 

Yanking his attention away from that stupid booth once again, Keith turns to face Cute Alien Guy again, only to see empty bar stools.   


Keith realizes with a disheartening feeling that he probably left, but Keith can’t really figure out why he’d go so hastily- that is until he goes to take another sip of his drink.

 

As soon as he lifts the glass, a sharp pain shoots through his hand. Looking down at it, he sees shards of glass fall from the broken cup and shatter as they hit the bar. Dark blood seeps from his palm and runs down his arm as the sharp edges of the glass cut deep into his skin. With a start, Keith realizes that he must’ve crushed the stupid thing while he was busy staring at Lance and those aliens. It was probably what scared Cute Alien Guy off as well. He isn’t surprised that they left, to be honest, he probably deserves it for being such a paranoid ass. 

 

Keith sighs and begins to resignedly pick up whatever major pieces of glass he can find on the floor, ignoring the hiccups of laughter and squeals coming from that fucking corner.

  
“Need a napkin?”

 

Looking up from the floor, Keith realizes that the bartender is leaning over to the bar to talking to _him_.

 

“Oh um, yeah thanks.” Keith accepts the napkin, carefully dabbing at the trail of blood that continues to steadily flow down his arm.

 

“Are you ok?” the bartender asks, shooting him a look of begrudging concern.   
  
“Yeah I’m fine. I’m pretty used to losing a lot of blood.” Keith cringes at how unintentionally edgy that sounded. Thankfully, the bartender seems pretty unfazed by this and only hands him another napkin.

 

“If you want, I can get you some bandages. I think I have some in the back,” she suggests, her pale yellow face softening slightly. Keith tells her that would be great and she tells him to walk around the bar so that he can get to the door.

  
Keith does as she says, leaning against the bar as he waits for her to get the stuff. Keith has to admit, he’s actually kind of bummed out about Cute Alien Guy. If it wasn’t for stupid Lance, going around hitting on everything that moves every goddamn chance he can get. Stupid Lance with his little gaggle of aliens draping themselves over him and sucking on his stupid neck. As soon as that image pops into mind, Keith’s gaze is already falling on that booth before he can even try to stop himself.

 

He’s at a different angle now, but he’s much closer and can take in way more details. For example, the fact that Lance’s complexion is way redder and sweatier than he should be for just a few drinks. Besides, there’ no way that _those_ dudes are charming enough to make Lance so flustered. Right?   


Actually, Keith realizes, he _is_ right; Lance is _way_ more unraveled than he should realistically be. The guy is literally panting, his chest heaving with each breath, hair matted with sweat and eyes blown wide. Keith leans in as inconspicuously as he possibly can, trying to get a better look at Lance’s eyes and _yep_ , they have an almost glossy look to them. Keith realizes that Lance’s “few drinks” were probably twice or three times that amount considering his state. Keith curses the paladin’s inability to make sensible decisions, trying his best to sound more concerned than jealous or anything. The worst part about the sight is that the creepy aliens around him are still crooning over him, stroking at his hair and sliding their claws over his partially exposed, flushed chest- all despite his obvious drunkenness.

 

For at least the third time that night, anger flares up in Keith, and he’s got half a mind to storm over there and teach those jackasses a lesson or two about consent. Then, the night turns from bad to worse as his eye catches a sudden motion from the four-armed guy whose lap Lance is practically draped over. He leans forward, fishing some little bottle out of his pocket and shaking the remainder of its contents into Lance’s drink.

 

“Hey,” Keith says softly in his moment of realization. He’d meant for it to be a shout, but he’s so paralyzed with shock that he can’t find his voice.

 

The alien swirls the drink around a little before handing it to Lance, who’s so far gone that he downs it without thinking twice. Whatever it is takes a visible toll on Lance, who hiccups in confusion and laughs, slurring something about never having so much fun in his life. There’s too much laxness in Lance’s body, which lies limply against the alien’s chest, as if he’s lost control over it entirely.

 

“Hey!” Keith tries again, his voice still hoarse as he takes a step towards the booth. How could he have let this happen?! Dammit, he’d even made a point to try and keep an eye on those guys for this specific reason. His mind is screaming at him to just _do something_ , protect his friend, call for help, throw something at them,  _anything_  but just stand there.

 

“I got the stuff,” the bartender says, walking out of the backroom with what appears to be a first aid kit in hand. He glances at her for a moment before his gaze immediately shifts back to Lance, trying to figure out why he’s suddenly paralyzed. In the second that he’d looked away, however, Keith realizes that he’d missed the attention of the four-armed douche suddenly being drawn to him.

Their eyes meet and the guy pauses before he has the audacity to fucking smirk. Keith finally snaps out of it.

 

“Hey man do you want the bandages or n-”

  
Keith cuts the bartender off with a roar, grabbing the handle of the first aid kit and leaping for the booth. As soon as he’s within range, Keith takes advantage of the fact that the guy clearly wasn’t expecting him to actually do anything, and bashes the kit over his ugly head. He sinks to the floor. Keith’s standing on the table, which totters unsteadily below him as he whips around to face the others. Their eyes flicker at the door to see if they can make an escape, but as they look back into eyes and see the fury, they know- there’s going to be a fight.

 

“You bastards!” he shrieks, voice quivering with pure anger as he lunges at the next guy, the one that had been attached to Lance’s neck like a leech for the past hour. The handle snaps as Keith swings the small kit over his head. Keith flings it away, barely even noticing the screams of the other patrons as he continues his rampage. One of the aliens tries to shove him down during the time it takes to toss for him the kit, but as soon as his back is colliding with the table, glass crunching beneath his weight, Keith is back on his feet and throwing punches left and right.

 

“Who-” Keith interrupts himself with a swift kick to the third guy’s head. “-the _hell_ -” he yanks at the collar of the final frat alien, who’s trying to desperately get away from the booth, pulling him close enough so that Keith can land a solid punch on his jaw. “-do you think you are?!”

 

“I’m sorry!” The apology comes from Leech Man, whose arms are in the air in clear surrender. Surprisingly, the gesture doesn’t do much to stop Keith from tackling the guy and pounding the shape of his skull into the checkered floor.

 

Keith can faintly hear screaming from the patrons around him, but he’s so hyped up on anger and adrenaline and something else that he can’t quite name that he can’t even bring himself to care. He should’ve put an end to this earlier, when he saw first saw these idiots crowding around Lance in the first place. Where was he when his _friend_ was on the verge of getting raped? Making eyes at some alien that he’d never even spoken to. Keith’s knuckles meet Leech Man’s face for the eightieth time and suddenly three things are happening in rapid succession.

 

First, with a loud thud Lance passes out and hits his head on the table as he slips out of the booth. He lays there, eyes still open and staring blankly at the scene unfolding before him. Keith can’t tell if he’s even conscious or not. Then, the front doors slam open and Keith can hear Allura and Shiro screaming his name as they sprint over to where he is. Finally, as he turns to face the frat aliens again, Keith sees something swinging at him that vaguely resembles a fist and feels it connect with his jaw.

 

He’s out cold before his head hits the ground.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to whatsabee for editing this mess and making it not terrible, I owe you my life bro. I'm so happy to finally do this because I've been planning to write a Voltron fic for months and I just never got around to it, but it's now done and I'm actually proud of it. I've never really done multi-chapter fics before but I'm excited to try my hand at this and see how it goes!  
> Kudos and comments (especially) are always appreciated~!


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